Rebirth in the Dragon Kingdom: The Strongest Blade

Chapter 3: First Glimpse of Talent

On Tuesday evening, Lin Guodong returned home close to 10 p.m. after completing a two-week research trip. The living room light was still on, and Lin Zhe was sitting on the sofa with several sheets of paper covered with plans spread out in front of him.

"Dad, you're back." Lin Zhe stood up and took the briefcase from his father.

Lin Guodong carefully observed his son and noticed that in just two weeks, his youngest son's temperament had undergone a subtle change—his shoulders were broader, his posture was more upright, and his eyes held less of the confusion of a teenager and more of a firmness.

"Waiting for me?" Lin Guodong loosened his tie and sat down on the sofa.

Lin Zhe nodded and pushed the project plan on the coffee table in front of his father: "I want to talk to you about my future plans."

Over the next forty minutes, Lin Zhe elaborated on his ideas: to complete his university studies in one year, undergo military training ahead of schedule, and ultimately join the army. His presentation was clear and logical, displaying both youthful enthusiasm and mature thinking beyond his years, even offering unique insights into the current state of the Chinese military and international military development trends.

Lin Guodong listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the sofa armrest—a habitual gesture shared by father and son. As the mayor of Jinghua City, he had seen countless outstanding young people, but the depth of thought and perspective displayed by his youngest son still surprised him.

"Have you discussed these ideas with your grandfather?" Lin Guodong finally asked.

"Yes. Grandpa supports me, but he also said he needs your permission."

Lin Guodong remained silent for a long time. The clock in the living room ticked, and the occasional sound of a car passing by could be heard outside the window. As a father, he naturally hoped that his son would choose a safer and smoother path; but as the descendant of a former soldier, he also deeply understood the sentiment of dedicating oneself to national defense.

Finally, he let out a long sigh: "Since your grandfather supports it, and you've thought it through yourself, Dad doesn't object."

A glint flashed in Lin Zhe's eyes.

"But," Lin Guodong's tone turned serious, "remember, this is the path you chose, and you must finish it, even if you have to crawl. The army is not child's play, nor is it a place to indulge in personal heroism. It's a place where you have to sweat, bleed, and even sacrifice."

"I understand, Dad," Lin Zhe replied solemnly. "I'm ready."

Lin Guodong nodded, his gaze falling on the proposal: "The parent-teacher meeting is tomorrow?"

"Yes, 3 PM."

"I will attend." Lin Guodong stood up, patted his son on the shoulder, "I haven't attended a single parent-teacher conference in all these years, I'll make up for it this time."

At 2:50 p.m. the next day, in the classroom of Class 1, Grade 12 at Jinghua No. 1 Middle School.

The parent-teacher meeting hadn't started yet, and the classroom was full of parents. The homeroom teacher, Ms. Li, was organizing materials. Suddenly, a commotion broke out at the classroom door.

Several men in formal attire entered the classroom; it was Lin Guodong and his assistant. He had deliberately worn a low-key dark gray jacket today, but his air of authority still put pressure on those around him.

"Ms. Li, I'm sorry to bother you," Lin Guodong said gently. "I'm Lin Zhe's father, here for the parent-teacher conference."

Ms. Li paused for two seconds, then recognized the person in front of her—the mayor of Jinghua City, who frequently appeared on television news! She quickly stood up: "Mayor Lin...Mayor Lin, please have a seat."

The entire classroom fell silent instantly, all the parents' eyes were focused on it, and whispers arose.

"The mayor? Is it really the mayor?"

"Lin Zhe is the mayor's son? I've never heard of that before!"

"No wonder that child is so outstanding..."

The principal and several school leaders rushed over upon hearing the news, causing a brief moment of chaos. Lin Guodong waved his hand and smiled, saying, "Teachers, please don't be nervous. I'm just an ordinary parent today. Due to work, I haven't attended any parent-teacher meetings for years, but I'm graduating soon and want to make up for this regret."

His calm demeanor eased the tension. The parent-teacher meeting proceeded as planned, though occasionally some parents would steal glances in Lin Guodong's direction.

Teacher Li introduced the class's overall situation and the progress of college entrance examination preparation, and especially praised several students with excellent grades, with Lin Zhe ranking first. When Lin Guodong heard his son's scores and rankings in each subject, a hint of pride appeared on his face.

After the meeting, several parents approached Lin Guodong to speak, but were politely turned away by his entourage. Lin Guodong only spoke a few words with Teacher Li alone.

"Lin Zhe is an outstanding child—self-disciplined, diligent, and thoughtful," Teacher Li said sincerely. "He has changed a lot recently and has become more goal-oriented."

"Thank you for your guidance over the years." Lin Guodong shook hands with the teacher. "The child has his own choices, and as parents, we just need to support him."

As he walked out of the school gate, Lin Guodong whispered to his secretary, "Be careful not to let the media pay too much attention. The child is about to take the college entrance examination; don't let it affect him."

"clear."

Saturday morning, 4:40 AM, East Suburbs Training Ground.

As Lin Zhe rode his bicycle into the training ground gate, Zhang Jian was already standing at the starting line. The former special forces ace stood with his hands behind his back, like a statue, with only the slightly swaying hem of his clothes indicating that he was a living person.

Lin Zhe stopped in front of Zhang Jian. Zhang Jian raised his wrist, and his digital watch beeped softly—it was exactly five o'clock.

"On time." Zhang Jian's voice was flat and even. "Change clothes and warm up. Let's start with a 5-kilometer run today."

No explanations, no encouragement, only concise, even ruthless, instructions. That's Zhang Jian's style—no need for superfluous words on the battlefield.

Lin Zhe quickly changed into his training clothes, did a standard ten-minute warm-up, and then stood on the starting line. Zhang Jianguo didn't even give the starting signal; he just made a gesture, and Lin Zhe dashed off.

For the first two kilometers, he was able to maintain even breathing and a steady pace. But by the third kilometer, his legs started to ache, and his lungs felt like they were on fire. This wasn't ordinary running; it was a fully equipped trail run—Zhang Jian had added ten kilograms of weight to his load.

"You're too slow!" Zhang Jian's voice came from behind. He had somehow caught up on his bicycle. "On the battlefield, a second's delay means death!"

Lin Zhe gritted his teeth, summoning all his strength. Memories of his past life surfaced at this moment: after working continuously for dozens of hours in the laboratory, he would run on a treadmill until he was exhausted to stay awake; to test the limits of new equipment, he would trek through simulated terrain carrying tens of kilograms of instruments...

"I can do it..." he murmured to himself, his steps regaining their strength.

Four kilometers, four and a half kilometers, five kilometers! The moment he crossed the finish line, Lin Zhe almost collapsed to the ground, but his strong willpower forced him to stand up, supporting himself on his knees with his hands and panting heavily.

Zhang Jian stopped the car and glanced at the timer: 23 minutes and 47 seconds. For a seventeen-year-old boy doing cross-country running with a load for the first time, this was an astonishing result.

"Take a three-minute break, then begin basic combat training," Zhang Jian's command came again.

And so, Lin Zhe's hellish training began.

For the next three months, every weekend he underwent intensive training under the guidance of Zhang Jian or his bodyguard. The training covered everything from basic physical fitness and combat to tactical maneuvers, wilderness survival, and even basic weapons handling theory. Although he wouldn't be able to handle real firearms until after formally enlisting, Zhang Jian used simulation equipment and detailed explanations to help him grasp the essentials in advance.

The third weekend of May, on the training field.

"Punch hard! Use your waist to generate power!" Zhang Jian shouted sharply, easily parrying Lin Zhe's straight punch and then slapping him on the shoulder with his backhand.

Lin Zhe staggered back two steps, but immediately regained his balance and attacked again. Three months of high-intensity training had brought about visible changes to his body; his muscles were clearly defined, his movements were agile and powerful, and his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.

What surprised Zhang Jian even more was Lin Zhe's learning ability. A tactical maneuver that ordinary recruits would need to practice dozens of times to master, Lin Zhe could often do perfectly in three to five times; he could understand the key points of combat skills after hearing them once and apply them flexibly in actual combat.

"Stop," Zhang Jian suddenly called out. "That's enough for today."

Lin Zhe finished his stance and stood up, his training clothes soaked with sweat. The setting sun bathed the training field in gold.

"You've improved very quickly," Zhang Jian rarely gave positive feedback. "But remember, the training ground and the battlefield are two different things. In a real life-or-death struggle, there are no rules, no stopping."

"I understand, Uncle Zhang," Lin Zhe replied solemnly.

Zhang Jian nodded, a complex look flashing in his eyes. This young man possessed a unique aura, like an unpolished gem yet also like a seasoned veteran. At certain moments, he even felt that Lin Zhe's gaze was deeper than his own.

In early June, the National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao) arrived as scheduled.

Outside the examination hall, the anxiety and expectations of the parents created a real pressure. Lin Zhe calmly walked into the examination hall, every knowledge point clearly appearing in his mind. His enhanced memory in this life, combined with the thinking patterns of top scholars from his previous life, allowed him to master high school knowledge to an astonishing degree.

After three days of exams, while other candidates were discussing the questions with either excitement or frustration, Lin Zhe was already planning his next move.

On the day the results were announced, the bulletin board at Jinghua No.1 Middle School was packed with people.

"Lin Zhe...748 points in science? That's impossible!"

"Only 2 points deducted in Chinese? Full marks in math? Full marks in science too?"

"This has broken the record set in Jinghua City twenty years ago!"

The news quickly spread throughout the school and even caught the attention of the city's education bureau. Top science student, record-breaking, mayor's son... these labels made Lin Zhe the center of attention, but he remained as low-key as ever, refusing all interviews.

When filling out his college application, Lin Zhe did not hesitate to write down the National University of Defense Technology as his first choice when faced with the top universities in China recommended by his teachers.

"Lin Zhe, you need to think this through," his homeroom teacher, Mr. Li, earnestly advised. "With your grades, you could get into any major at Tsinghua or Peking University. While the National University of Defense Technology is also a top-tier university, it's a military academy with strict management, and your future job placement will be limited..."

"Teacher, I've thought it through." Lin Zhe's tone was calm but firm. "This is my choice."

When the news reached home, even though her mother, Su Wan, was somewhat prepared, she couldn't help but tear up. Her father, Lin Guodong, simply nodded: "Since you've made your choice, then go well."

The happiest person was naturally Lin Weiguo. When his grandson brought the admission notice to the sanatorium, the old man couldn't stop smiling and ate an extra half bowl of rice that night, which was unusual for him.

"Good! Good! Finally, someone in my Lin family is wearing a military uniform again!" Lin Weiguo patted his grandson's shoulder so hard that Lin Zhe swayed. "National University of Defense Technology, what a great place! It has produced many talented people!"

In mid-July, Lin Zhe made a decision: to spend the entire summer at his grandfather's nursing home to receive more systematic training.

"Have you thought it through?" Zhang Jian looked at Lin Zhe as he packed his luggage. "For the next two months, I'll train you according to the standards of special forces recruit training. There will be no rest days, no relaxing moments."

"I've made up my mind, Uncle Zhang," Lin Zhe replied succinctly and forcefully.

So, summer training began. The intensity was several times greater than before, but Lin Zhe's performance shocked everyone.

His learning ability is terrifying: the first time he touched a gun, he was able to achieve excellent results from 50 meters away; in combat training, he was able to fight on par with the guards in just two weeks; in tactical courses, he could quickly understand complex battle situations and propose innovative solutions.

Even more incredible is that Lin Zhe seems to have a natural talent for integrating different skills. During a wilderness survival training exercise, he not only completed all the tasks perfectly, but also designed an improved concealment plan based on the terrain and climate, which even impressed Zhang Jian.

"This kid..." one of the guards said to his colleague privately, "He's like he's been in the army for years. His tactical awareness is something I'm ashamed of."

In mid-August, Lin Weiguo, after reviewing his grandson's training report, made a decision. He used his connections, which he hadn't used in years, to have Zhang Jianguo take Lin Zhe to the training base of a special operations brigade in the Jinghua Military Region for two weeks of immersive training.

This was Lin Zhe's first real experience in a regular military environment. Everything in the training base felt both familiar and novel to him. He was familiar with the meticulous discipline, rigorous procedures, and the military bearing; he was curious about the military system and specific equipment of this world.

He studied with an insatiable thirst, absorbing knowledge like a sponge. He trained during the day and studied military theory and equipment manuals at night. He even offered some suggestions for improving existing equipment based on his knowledge from his previous life—in the form of "personal conjecture," of course.

During the assessment at the end of the two weeks, Lin Zhe's performance shocked the entire special operations brigade.

In the combat assessment, he defeated five experienced special forces soldiers in a row; in the shooting assessment, he excelled in pistol, rifle, and sniper rifle tests; in the tactical simulation, his proposed solutions left several staff officers deep in thought.

The most shocking exercise was the confrontation with Zhang Jian. According to the rules, Lin Zhe needed to evade "pursuit" in a simulated city environment and reach a designated location within a specified time.

After the drill began, Lin Zhe disappeared into the complex terrain like a ghost. Zhang Jian's team used various tracking methods, but repeatedly missed their target. In the end, Lin Zhe not only arrived at the target point ahead of schedule, but also "eliminated" three of the pursuing team members in the process.

After the drill ended, Zhang Jian took off his helmet, his face covered in sweat, but his eyes gleamed with a strange light.

"How did you know I would ambush you at that intersection?" he asked.

Lin Zhe wiped the paint off his face: "Terrain analysis, time calculation, plus understanding of your tactical habits. Uncle Zhang, you usually set up an ambush at the second bend because the view is good and there are multiple escape routes there."

Zhang Jian was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Good lad, you've figured out everything about me."

The special forces soldiers around them looked at each other in bewilderment. This young man was no ordinary person; he could make "Iron-Faced Zhang" laugh.

In the last week of August, just before the start of the new school term, Lin Zhe made one last request to Zhang Jian for a friendly sparring session.

On the training field, the two stood facing each other. A large crowd of soldiers gathered around them, all eager to see just how capable the young man who had created countless miracles this summer truly was.

There are no referees, no rules, only real combat.

Lin Zhe launched the first attack, his movements as swift as lightning. Zhang Jianguo responded calmly, and the two exchanged blows, their fight a fierce and evenly matched affair. Twenty moves, thirty moves, fifty moves... after a hundred moves, they were still evenly matched!

Finally, on the 128th move, Lin Zhe seized a fleeting opportunity and skillfully locked Zhang Jian's arm joint with a grappling move. According to the rules, this was the winning move.

A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted from the sidelines. Zhang Jian withdrew his arm, looked at Lin Zhe, his eyes filled with satisfaction and pride.

"I lost." He admitted frankly, "The younger generation surpasses the older. Lin Zhe, your current level has already surpassed most special forces soldiers."

"It's all thanks to Uncle Zhang's excellent teaching," Lin Zhe said sincerely.

Zhang Jian shook his head: "No, it's your own talent and hard work. I'm just your guide." He paused, his voice suddenly lowering, "Remember, with great power comes great responsibility. The army needs talent like you, but it needs you to stay true to your original aspirations even more."

"I understand, Uncle Zhang."

That evening, Lin Weiguo hosted a simple family dinner at the sanatorium to send off his grandson. During the meal, the old man unusually drank a small glass of wine.

"Xiao Zhe, once you get to school, keep a low profile, focus on your studies, and most importantly, think critically," Lin Weiguo said earnestly. "The National University of Defense Technology is not only a place to learn technology, but also a place to forge the spirit of the military. Remember, the most important thing for a soldier is not being able to fight, but knowing why they fight."

"Grandpa, I'll remember."

Lin Zhe gazed at the night sky outside the window, a complex mix of emotions welling up within him. His past and present lives, two separate existences, finally converged at this moment. He was no longer the engineer who could only design weapons in the laboratory, nor was he the high school student who could only live in the shadow of his father and brothers.

Tomorrow, he will put on his military uniform and begin a brand new chapter in his life as a freshman at a military academy.

His goals are far greater than a graduation certificate or a military rank badge.

He wants to be the one to change the Dragon Kingdom's army.

In this life, he will stand on the front line and personally transform the wisdom of his previous life into the power to protect this country.

Night deepened, and the sanatorium grew quiet. The light was still on in Lin Zhe's room as he wrote his final sentence in his notebook:

"A new beginning, but the same original aspiration. Lin Zhe, you must live up to this military uniform and live up to this country."